Lenovo Releases Colorful IdeaPad Ultrabooks

This site may earn affiliate commissions from the links on this page. Terms of use.

Lenovo is stepping up its game in the ultrabook category, announcing two new slim IdeaPads, the 13-inch IdeaPad U310 and the 14-inch IdeaPad U410.

Equipped with Intel's recently announced third-generation processors, the new IdeaPads offer more powerful processing with longer battery life and lower starting prices than previous models, like the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 is a 13-inch consumer ultrabook, starting at $749 that's equipped with a third-generation Core i3 and 320GB hard drive with 32GB flash memory cache. For those willing to spend a little more, the IdeaPad U310 will also be available with Core i5 and i7 processors and up to 500GB hard drive capacity. All configurations feature a 13.3-inch display with 1366-by-768 resolution, stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater v4 sound enhancement, USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, HDMI output, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and up to seven hours of battery life. Measuring 0.7-inch thick and weighing 3.74 pounds, the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 keeps the flat book-style clamshell design seen on the Lenovo U300s, and is available in a range of colors, including Sapphire Blue, Aqua Blue, Cherry Blossom Pink, Graphite Grey or Metallic Red.

Stepping up in size to 14 inches is the Lenovo IdeaPad U410, which measures 0.83-inches thick and weighs 4.18 pounds. The IdeaPad U410 features the same Intel Ivy Bridge processors seen in the U310, but bumps up to 8GB of RAM and adds a discrete Nvidia GeForce 610M graphics card with 1GB of memory. Hard drive capacity ranges from 500GB to 1TB with an optional 32GB cache, or full solid-state drives (SSD). The 14-inch screen offers 1366-by-768 resolution, with Dolby Home Theater v4 sound enhancement. The Lenovo IdeaPad U410 starts at $799 with an Intel Core i3 processor.

Lenovo has equipped both systems with the latest iteration of Lenovo EnhancedExperience 3, which includes power management and Lenovo's FasterBoot and BootShield, which optimize start-up and shifts non-essential apps to load after the initial system boot. Lenovo also includes SmartUpdate, Lenovo's proprietary version of Intel Smart Connect Technology, which allows the laptop to continue getting updates to emails and social media while in a sleep state, so you're always up to date.

Both the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and IdeaPad U410 are available today in the U.S. and several other countries through Lenovo's website and will be available through major retailers later this month.

Brian Westover is an Analyst for the Hardware Team, reviewing laptops, desktops, and storage devices.
As a child, Brian was frequently asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" His answer alternated between Superman and Batman. This was cute when he was five, but worrisome at seventeen. Naturally, he is now a journalist, writing about technology and gadgets.
Brian has been writing professionally since 2007, and his work has appeared in business newsletters, websites, textbooks, and magazines. He earned his degree in Communications from...
More »